The Minister made this announcement when she paid Rivers State Governor Barr. Nyesom Wike a courtesy visit in Rivers.
The minister said that the cleanup of the Ogoniland would span between 25 and 30 years.
The governor urged the Federal Government to be careful not to bring politics into the cleanup in order to achieve success.
According to Gov. Wike, there are political undertones to most of these things that are happening hence it was very difficult for the former government to do what they are supposed to do.
He advised that all stakeholders must be brought on board for the exercise to succeed.
Governor Wike assured the minister that the state government would give all the necessary support to ensure the success of the cleanup, adding no government would be happy to see Ogoniland in its present state.
He said he was interested in whatever affects Rivers and the entire Niger Delta that had to do environmental pollution and other issues. Wike said the environmental degradation in the entire Niger Delta and more in particular in Ogoni area has been a major concern to all. According to him, it partly has to do with oil exploration that has left so many communities not to have potable water. So many communities who are farmers can no longer go to farm; communities who dwell on fishing can no longer fish because of oil pollution.
President Buhari in August 2015 approved several actions to fast-track the long delayed implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme report on the environmental restoration of Ogoniland.
He also approved the composition of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) Board to reflect a new governance framework, comprising a Governing Council, a Board of Trustees and Project Management.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/buhari-sets-to-launch-ogoniland-cleanup-minister/
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